£10 million totackle pot-holeroad menace

The pledge has been made by East Sussex County Council as it sets its budget.

Councillors were due to vote this week on proposals to bring in a council tax increase for the first time in four years with the aim of meeting the growing problem of crumbling roads.

County Council leader, and Rye county councillor Keith Glazier told a meeting of Rye Town Council on Monday: “It is a percentage of 1.95 percent , which would effectively mean 43p a week or £22 a year on an average Band D property.

“We are on the right track to make the savings we need to and £10 million will be released immediately with the aim of speeding up addressing the pot-hole problem and maintaining de-classified rural roads such as we have in the Rye area.”

He added: “We are still faced with a £35 million budget gap for the years 2016-17.

“The feedback we have been getting is ‘don’t go any further with cuts, we are prepared to pay that bit extra’

“If we don’t do this the future of the whole council could be in jeopardy two years down the line.

“There is still some re-surfacing work that needs to be done locally and that will be done in April and May.

“We have 28 work gangs out trying to keep up with the pot-hole problem, which has got worse.

“Some are temporary repairs and people have complained about the filling just washing out again. We really need a break in the weather as we are struggling. The gangs really are doing their best.

“Currently our time-table for inspecting pot-holes is once a year but we are looking at reducing that to a maximum of 28 days.

“My message to people is to keep on reporting the pot-holes to us so that we can take action. Don’t assume that someone else has reported it.”

Cllr Glazier also reported that the council was working on completing the Rye Harbour Road cycle pathway.